GPU Comparison

Intel UHD Graphics 730 edges out the AMD FirePro M4000 in the only shared benchmark, but the two cards are far closer than their release dates suggest, with the Intel part delivering a modest 8.1% lead in Geekbench OpenCL. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5988 points against the FirePro M4000’s 5537, a win that places it at the 33rd percentile of all GPUs versus the AMD’s 32nd percentile. Despite being a decade newer, the Intel solution’s victory is narrow, and the FirePro M4000 holds its own in several architectural aspects, making this a matchup defined by trade-offs rather than a decisive knockout.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The sole direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the Intel UHD Graphics 730 posts 5988 points and the AMD FirePro M4000 trails at 5537. That is an 8.1% margin in favor of Intel, a meaningful but not overwhelming gap. In percentile terms, the Intel part ranks at 33% of all GPUs, while the AMD sits just one point lower at 32%, meaning neither card escapes the lower half of the performance distribution. The Intel’s average benchmark score of 5929 reinforces its consistency, while the AMD’s 5537 average is identical to its single OpenCL result, suggesting less variability in its output.

Context from nearest rivals sharpens the picture. The Intel UHD Graphics 730’s closest competitors are all within 0.9% of its score: the AMD Radeon HD 8730M (5955, -0.4%), NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957, -0.5%), AMD Radeon HD 8750M (5970, -0.7%), and NVIDIA Quadro K4000 (5982, -0.9%). This cluster shows that the Intel part is essentially tied with a group of mid-range mobile GPUs from a previous era, none of which manage to pull ahead. For the AMD FirePro M4000, the nearest rivals are similarly tight: the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5508, +0.5%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M (5501, +0.7%), AMD Radeon R7 M440 (5483, +1%), and NVIDIA Quadro M500M (5604, -1.2%). The FirePro’s 5537 score sits between these, meaning it is neither the strongest nor weakest in its immediate peer group, but it is clearly a step behind the Intel part in raw compute.

The data shows that the Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins the only head-to-head test, but the margin is small enough that real-world applications could swing either way depending on driver optimization or workload specifics. The FirePro M4000’s single benchmark result does not allow for a multi-test comparison, so the verdict on compute performance rests entirely on this 8.1% delta. That is a decisive but narrow lead for Intel, and it aligns with the percentile gap of just one point.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different eras and design philosophies. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is built on a 14 nm+++ process at Intel’s own foundry, with a Rocket Lake chip and Generation 12.1 architecture. The AMD FirePro M4000 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, with a Chelsea chip and GCN 1.0 architecture. The process node difference is stark: 14 nm+++ versus 28 nm suggests Intel has a significant manufacturing advantage, which likely explains how a newer, lower-power part can outpace an older discrete GPU. The FirePro M4000, however, packs more hardware resources: 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output pipelines, versus the Intel’s 192 shading units, 12 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. That is a 2.7x advantage in shading units and a 2x advantage in ROPs for AMD, yet the Intel part still wins the benchmark, highlighting the efficiency of its newer architecture.

Memory configurations diverge completely. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses System Shared memory, with a bus width and type also listed as System Shared, and bandwidth described as System Dependent. The AMD FirePro M4000 has dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a classic integrated-versus-discrete split: the AMD has its own fast memory, while the Intel depends on the host system’s RAM, which can be a bottleneck. The FirePro also has a higher pixel rate at 10.80 GPixel/s versus the Intel’s 10.40 GPixel/s, and a much higher texture rate at 21.60 GTexel/s versus 15.60 GTexel/s. In FP32 compute, the AMD leads with 691.2 GFLOPS against the Intel’s 499.2 GFLOPS, a 38% gap that the Intel partially offsets with FP16 support at 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1), which the FirePro lacks entirely.

Clock speeds tell another story. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost of 1300 MHz, while the FirePro M4000’s base and boost clocks are not listed, only its memory clock of 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The Intel’s boost clock is likely a key factor in its benchmark win, as it can ramp up to 1300 MHz under load, while the AMD’s core clocks are unknown but presumably lower given its 33 W TDP. The Intel part consumes just 15 W, less than half the FirePro’s 33 W, making it a far more power-efficient design. The FirePro is an MXM Module with no power connectors, while the Intel is an IGP with a Ring Bus interface, reflecting their different deployment targets: the former for upgradeable laptops, the latter for soldered-on CPUs.

API support is broadly similar but not identical. Both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6, but the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Intel’s higher DirectX feature level and newer Vulkan version could matter for modern titles, though the FirePro’s GCN architecture was known for compute workloads. The AMD also has a listed transistor count of 1,500 million on a 123 mm² die, with a density of 12.2M / mm², whereas the Intel’s transistor count and die size are not provided, making a direct comparison impossible.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but narrow winner: the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the better performer in the only benchmark shared, with an 8.1% lead in Geekbench OpenCL. It also does so at less than half the power draw, 15 W versus 33 W, and with a newer architecture, Generation 12.1 versus GCN 1.0. For any user prioritizing compute performance per watt or compatibility with modern APIs, the Intel part is the rational choice. Its 33rd percentile ranking is one point higher than the FirePro’s 32nd, and its average score of 5929 exceeds the AMD’s 5537 by 7.1%.

However, the AMD FirePro M4000 is not without merit. It offers dedicated GDDR5 memory with 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth, which the Intel cannot match due to its System Shared setup. It also has more shading units, TMUs, and ROPs, and higher raw FP32 throughput at 691.2 GFLOPS versus 499.2 GFLOPS. In workloads that are memory-bandwidth-bound or require heavy texture throughput, the FirePro could theoretically outperform the Intel part, despite losing the synthetic benchmark. The FirePro’s 21.60 GTexel/s texture rate is 38% higher than the Intel’s 15.60 GTexel/s, and its 10.80 GPixel/s pixel rate is marginally better.

For most users, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the safer pick due to its benchmark victory, lower power consumption, and newer feature set. The AMD FirePro M4000 is a legacy part from 2012, now end-of-life, and its only advantages lie in dedicated memory and raw texture throughput, which do not translate into a benchmark win. The verdict: choose the Intel if you want the higher score and efficiency; choose the AMD only if you specifically need a discrete MXM module with dedicated VRAM for an older laptop.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU performs better in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5988, which is 8.1% higher than the AMD FirePro M4000’s 5537.

Q: Do these GPUs have the same memory setup?

A: No. The Intel uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth, while the AMD has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a TDP of 15 W, while the AMD FirePro M4000 has a TDP of 33 W, making the Intel more than twice as efficient.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, while the Intel UHD Graphics 730 has only 192.

Q: Do both support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, but with different feature levels. The Intel supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the AMD supports DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: What is the release date difference?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 was released on 2021-03-29, while the AMD FirePro M4000 was released on 2012-06-26, a gap of nearly nine years.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins decisively in the compute benchmark, posting 5988 versus 5537, and it also dominates in power efficiency with a 15 W TDP against the AMD’s 33 W. It supports a newer DirectX feature level (12_1 vs 11_1) and a newer Vulkan version (1.4 vs 1.2.170), which could translate to better compatibility with modern games and applications. The Intel part also has a higher boost clock at 1300 MHz, though its base clock is just 300 MHz, and its FP16 performance of 998.4 GFLOPS gives it a compute advantage in workloads that use half-precision arithmetic, which the AMD lacks entirely.

The AMD FirePro M4000 wins in raw hardware specifications. It has more shading units (512 vs 192), more TMUs (32 vs 12), and more ROPs (16 vs 8). Its texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s is 38% higher than the Intel’s 15.60 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s edges out the Intel’s 10.40 GPixel/s. The AMD also offers dedicated 1024 MB GDDR5 memory with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth, which is a significant advantage over the Intel’s System Shared memory, particularly in scenarios where memory latency or bandwidth is the bottleneck. Its FP32 throughput of 691.2 GFLOPS is 38% higher than the Intel’s 499.2 GFLOPS, making it stronger for single-precision compute tasks.

In practical terms, the Intel wins on benchmark scores and efficiency, making it the better all-rounder for everyday use. The AMD wins on paper specs and memory architecture, which could favor specific workloads like texture-heavy rendering or older compute applications that rely on dedicated VRAM. The Intel’s 33rd percentile versus the AMD’s 32nd percentile is a single-point gap, but the Intel’s average score of 5929 versus 5537 is a 7.1% difference, reinforcing its overall advantage.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | AMD FirePro M4000 |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Process Node | 14 nm+++ | 28 nm |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,500 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 123 mm² |

| Transistor Density | Not listed | 12.2M / mm² |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 64.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 192 | 512 |

| TMUs | 12 | 32 |

| ROPs | 8 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 10.40 GPixel/s | 10.80 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 15.60 GTexel/s | 21.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 499.2 GFLOPS | 691.2 GFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1) | Not listed |

| TDP | 15 W | 33 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | None listed | None |

| Bus Interface | Ring Bus | MXM-A (3.0) |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |